Email vs. The Web

Written by Lisa Walstad

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A valuable lesson learned.

My response dropped and I found out hard way there are literally millions of people who use email but DO NOT surf web. Many simply do not care to surf web and there are a good number of folks who do not have access to it.

My autoresponders immediately went back into my ads and since I was paying for each word or line, I decided to stick with ONLY AR's. The extra few bucks to add my web site address was probably not worth it, I guessed. Wrong again.

Luckily I had my own email newsletter to do a little more experimenting. I changed my ads so they contained BOTH my autoresponder address AND my URL.

Bingo. The perfect mix. My total inquiries (autoresponder plus page hits) went up by about 20% and remained there as long as my ad contained both contact methods. Along with these increased prospects came increased profits. Another valuable lesson learned.

I know, a lot of you are saying hey, that's not a tough decision. Well to you I say take a look at classified ads in almost any ezine on net. Count number of ads that have both an AR and a URL. You'll find that about one out of every three of them qualify. Point made.

I hope I've managed to shed a little light on YOUR marketing campaign today. If you're not marketing with both AR's *and* a URL, you're missing out on some revenue!

Remember, as many have said before me, marketing is now, and always will be, a numbers game. The more numbers you reach, more numbers you'll count!

Lisa Walstad is the owner of @dPros, Inc. an advertising and marketing firm based in Minnesota and editor of the @dPros newsletter AdPros-subscribe@egroups.com . She started @dPros out of her home with her 4 children playing underfoot. " Where there's a will, there's a way! " Visit her website at www.thepartieshere.com/adpros for your free advertising campaign today!

The Life and Times of a Grizzly Ad!

Written by William /"Wild Bill/" Montgomery

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or 3) They have absolutely no opinion at all. These are most important readers. The others have already opted to continue or abort. These people remember you but you have not drawn a strong enough opinion to pull them through third stage. This requires you to re-assess your ad. You "ARE" catching their attention, but you have not gained their complete interest. Go back. See what catches their attention and what comes off as weak link of your message. Try again.

Now (assuming they reacted positively) your reader is in last stage of process. They are required to take action. Yes, I'll go with your product. No, I don't think so at this time.

"This Time".

For Web Site owners; If at all possible, leave two major impressions with your now potential buyer when they reach your page(s). First, make it clear that if they go with you today, there is an extra incentive to do so. Secondly, if they can't decide today, make it clear that you want to see them again. That's called "Invitation and Follow-Up". Just a note to wise. Make these impressions (Incentive & Invitation) apart from one another, not together.

Your potential customer now decides to take that final step of action. It all come down to this:

1) They buy your product, try your product, or ask for more information. But no matter what, your potential customer is now a legitimate sale or lead.

2) They have now decided against you. Website owners, don't forget about that second impression (Invitation & Follow-Up). Not now doesn't always mean forever.